Small Claims Standards: 2:06 Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities

The Administrative Office of the Trial Court issues these Standards to assist judges, clerk-magistrates and other personnel of the District Court, Boston Municipal Court, and Housing Court Departments in implementing recently amended Trial Court Rule III, Uniform Small Claims Rules (effective January 1, 2002).

The court must make reasonable accommodations to make the small claims procedure accessible to persons with disabilities.

Commentary

The Massachusetts Trial Court is subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Accordingly, all participants in small claims cases are entitled to equal access to the court and to the services of the court, without regard to disability.

It is the responsibility of the Trial Court to provide reasonable accommodations in order to assure access. Reasonable accommodations include, but are not limited to, sound-amplifying devices for hearing-impaired litigants and tape recordings of small claims filing instructions for visually-impaired litigants.

It is the responsibility of each court to prominently display written material that will allow disabled persons to make their needs known. Such information should also be accessible to the visually-impaired in a taped format.

The Supreme Judicial Court has designated Ms. Marge Brown to coordinate all Trial Court efforts to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Inquiries, requests, and complaints should be directed to:

Marge Brown, Deputy Commissioner of Probation
One Ashburton Place
Room 405
Boston, MA 02108
[phone]